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Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Page 5: The drier forests of Lots 13, 16 and a portion of 12 are the
CWHxm1/07 (Western Redcedar/Three-leaved Foamflower) ecological
community which is Red-listed (threatened or
endangered) and S2 (provincially imperiled). If the threats to this
community are not removed across its range, it will likely become
extirpated or extinct within the CWHxm1.

Page 7: This collective of natural features is the last refuge for
animals and plants that occupy and define the ecological communities
once common in the area.

The veteran Black Cottonwood at the southeast corner of Lot 12 (Figure
1), with a dbh of approximately 1.75 m (estimated, not measured), is one
of the largest in the Township of Langley.

The liverwort Riccardia multifida occurs on rotting logs and mud in some
of the same areas as Hookeria lucens. It is typical of humid forests of
the lowlands. Neither species has been
observed previously in Langley by the authors. These organisms and the communities that
comprise the remnant natural features are important biological legacies
that will eventually be lost from Langley and the lower mainland unless
relatively large natural areas are retained.
On September 20 environmental consultant Phil Henderson and naturalist
Glenn Ryder visited the Mclellan Park East forest. The observations that
they they made became the basis of a report that they presented to
Township of Langley and Watchers of Langley Forests by email on Thursday
October 18.
In the report Henderson and Ryder detail the varying ecology of the forest.

In the accompanying email Phil Henderson said;Glenn Ryder, renowned naturalist, and I visited the properties
that are subject to sale north of and adjacent to Gray Pit on
September 20, 2012. During our visit we recorded information on
plants, animals and ecology and we present that information in the
attached report. Our intention, as outlined in the Introduction
section of the report, is to provide some objective information
that will hopefully inform decisions regarding the future of this
land. Our primary targets for this report were WOLF and the
Township of Langley, but the report can be freely distributed. We
hope it proves useful.The introduction reads Introduction

The Township of Langley (TOL) solicited “requests for offers” for the purchase of threecontiguous forested properties adjacent to 252nd St. and 84th Ave. and five contiguous 5 acre(ac.) properties east of 257A St. and north of Gray Pit in northeast Langley (TOL RFO 12-1). Thedeadline for submissions was June 29, 2012. Local residents and concerned citizens whoopposed the sale based on the properties’ ecological and cultural values, banded togetherunder the acronym WOLF (Watchers of Langley Forests) to protest their sale. In response totheir protestations and those of others, the Township rescinded the sale of the three propertiesadjacent to 252th St. but not the five properties adjacent to Gray Pit (Table 1, Figure 1). The fiveremaining properties adjacent to Gray Pit are the subject of continued efforts by WOLF to stoptheir sale.

Glenn Ryder provided significant historical wildlife data from 1955 (Ryder 1955) for WOLF thatcovered the three western properties and extended eastward to 256th St. While those dataprovide important information for the general area and are an excellent account of wildlifepresent before extensive development in the area, they do not specifically address the fiveparcels that remain for sale. Strix Environmental Consulting’s reports on Gray Pit (Strix 1999and 2000) provide limited information because they focussed on the Gray Pit extraction areaand small sections of the south forest edge.

In an effort to provide recent information specific to the subject properties, Phil Henderson andGlenn Ryder conducted a brief survey on September 20, 2012 of the lots referred to in TOL’sROF 12-1, namely Lots 12-16, DL 320 GP2 NWD Plan 1560. Henderson and Ryder’s intentionswere to “determine its existing conditions” as outlined under Examination of the Site in TOL’sRFO 12-1 and provide objective, up to date information on plants, animals and ecology for allinterested parties, notably WOLF and the Township of Langley. This information is intended toinform decisions regarding the future of the properties.

It is important to stress the Phil Henderson and Glenn Ryder undertook this project at their own initiative at on their own time. WOLF and the Township were not apprised of their activities until the week the report was released. Their combined expertise is truly impressive.Phil Henderson is a well respected environmental consultant who has conducted work for the Township. Glenn Ryder is naturalis who began field research over fifty years ago.

This study backs up WOLF's contention that this forest has important
ecological characteristics and values. . Our view has been strengthened
that the forest is an important example of biodiversity in the
Township.
We remain committed to it's
preservation. WOLfF hopes that the Mayor and Council factor the report into their decision making.